Wedding Favours – The History Behind It!
Wedding favours are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception.
This is a very old tradition. It is believed that first wedding favour, common amongst European aristocrats, was known as a Bomboniere. A Bomboniere is a small trinket box made of crystal, porcelain, and/or precious stones. The contents of these precious boxes were generally sugar cubes or delicate confections, which symbolize wealth and royalty.
As sugar became more affordable, people began to replace bombonieres with almonds. For centuries, almonds were commonly distributed to wedding guests to signify well wishes on the bridegroom’s new life. In the thirteenth century, almonds coated with sugar, known as confetti, were introduced. Confetti soon transformed to sugared almonds, which later evolved into the favours for modern day weddings.
Traditionally, wedding parties presented five Jordan almonds in a confection box or wrapped them in elegant fabric to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy are a metaphor for the bitter sweetness of a marriage.
Today, gifts to guests are prevalent across cultures worldwide. These have become a part of wedding reception planning, especially in the United States and Canada. Wedding favours are diverse and usually complement the theme or season of the event.
Classic favours can range from the classic sugared almonds or individual chocolates to candles and scented soaps. Modern wedding favours include CDs with the favourite music of the bride and groom, shot glasses filled with colored candy or silver picture frames with a photo of the couple. They may also be personalized with the couple’s names, initials or wedding date.
One of the earliest accounts of wedding favours dates back to 16th century England. It was common for couples to give love knots constructed from lace and ribbon to each of their guests to represent their bond of love.
Wedding Favours From Around The World
When it comes to favours, anything goes. While Americans usually give gifts according to their wedding’s theme or the couple’s lifestyle, many countries have traditions such as:
- At an Italian wedding, guests can expect to receive chocolate-covered Jordan almonds.
- At a Spanish wedding, guests receive ‘detalles’; perhaps cigars for men and a gift for the women.
- In Russia, wedding favours consist of tiny pictures or small candles and trinkets.
- At Irish weddings, it is common for guests to receive small wedding bells.
- In India, a lucky wedding favour is a hand-crafted elephant.
Guests often enjoy edible favours! If you truly want a gift which is “useful,” then consider a snack rather than a trinket. Some ideas include truffles, cookies, and even boxed up slices of the wedding cake.
It’s always nice to distinguish the return gift with a monogram! After all, a favor is a reminder of the wedding that guests can take home with them. Add a tag with the names, wedding date, and a kind word of thanks! Think about something that means a lot to the couple. Wedding favours that are meaningful to the couple always make for a truly personal gift, no matter how small.
Comments (2)
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Thanks for the post.